Rowan 46 and New Health Kick

I got my Rowan magazine #46 yesterday and I really like it. I had considered dropping my subscription after a few mostly-wacked out issues, but I'm glad I stayed the course. There are a lot of just beautiful, classic sweaters in this issue. Here are only a few of the sweaters I like as some of the others must not have uploaded to Flickr this morning (I had set them up to upload and then got into the shower without rechecking first.)

Bourne (I think this is really pretty, but I'd have to get over my phobia of Kidsilk Haze)

Lochalsh (I would make this without the silly pom pom ties)

Addison (I would make this for my nieces, or maybe even one of the larger sizes for myself, given the amount of ease Rowan usually designs in)

Marple (I like the texture of this, which I think is achieved by holding together Kidsilk Haze with another yarn)

Guiseley (though I'm still not sure about the belt over a sweater thing)

Chartwell (very pretty, but not sure I'd make it)

Here is a link I just found to a page with all the sweaters if you want to check them out. I also like the Melford Dress (though I'd make it just as a tunic), Sissinghurst, Skye (though I'm not sure I'd knit it, it looks gorgeous on the model) and Stockport (though it's impossible to see the cables in this picture.)

They also have a new yarn called "Alpaca Cotton" which I am eager to see "in person". I was thinking maybe it might be like the Cashcotton I love so much - cotton blend so the stitch definition of that fiber but softer because of the animal fiber. Then again it could just be a heavy, drapey mess, as alpaca and cotton are both heavy, drapey fibers. I would just have to swatch and see. Definitely not one to commit to before swatching! As I told Debby the other day, I have to test drive my yarns before I marry them!

So far my health kick has been going well - aside from my overdoing it on Saturday. I decided to tally up my workouts for the month to date, as I've been keeping track in a log. I've really only done the treadmill this month, with a few outside walks with an audiobook and iPod - no Bowflex or yoga, which I need to get back to. But anyway, with the workouts I have done, it's totaled 534 minutes of exercise (almost 9 hours), 25.5 miles and 3,099 calories burned.

I've also eliminated many processed foods (it really is difficult, they are everywhere) and am eating Activia every day. I'm also trying for six 16-oz bottles of water a day and am trying to stick to water to drink when I'm in restaurants (which is practically every day, which could be better.) However, even though I'm in restaurants, I'm ordering the healthiest thing on the menu and usually only eating half of it, even the salads. I've discovered that Ra Sushi has a sashimi combo of TWELVE pieces of sashimi (just the fish, without the rice) with a small miso soup and salad for only $11.95, so I've been trying to eat that for lunch a few times a week. I also try to plan what I'm going to eat at a restaurant before I get there (today I'm going to Brio with our tax research vendor, and ordering the salmon salad with no dressing and no feta or onion straws.)

My goal in all of this is to lose ten pounds. (Wow, I admitted it to all and sundry.) I've pretty much weighed the exact same thing since I was 27 (TEN years ago) with a few small exceptions - a few years ago when I lost seven pounds on NutriSystem (never again, impossible to maintain without eating their food and it's not that good) and before that when I had gained five when I broke my foot and couldn't work out and Jim was on a kick of making me desserts and Cosmopolitans at home to "spoil me" (which was incredibly sweet, but not good long term.) So, even though I've weighed the same thing for so long, I've noticed just in the past six months it's harder to stay there - like my set point wants to be just a pound more and I have to keep fighting it. I'd also like to be leaner and in "fighting shape" as a sort of pre-emptive move before hitting 40 in a few years. I feel OK about myself but I'd like to feel GREAT! Already I feel better by improving what I eat and working out every day. I'll let you know how it develops.

Comments

[kozykitty]

Good for you to get a head start! Like you, my weight was always consistent. I've always been a healthy eater and I just never gained. My weight would fluctuate 5 to 10 pounds, being lighter in the summer when I'm off work but it never exceeded a certain weight. I found 50 was when things started going haywire! It started creeping up on me and I now weight 20 pounds more than my old winter weight! The only thing that works now is exercise which I haven't been able to do since I broke my foot. Dieting no longer works. When we hit that certain age, our metabolism grinds to a halt! I'm glad I was never overweight before! Also--exercise does a lot for preventing bone loss--particularly lifting weights. I have to get back into the routine.

[Jeanine]

WOW! I did let my subscription go. I would actually consider buying this issue. It totally looks like a keeper. Good for you on your health kick.

[Carol]

yup, it's frightening how much processed food there is. we are trying to get rid of some of it ourselves. Fairly successfully too. Last week we went to the grocery store and got 90% of our food from the edges of the store. (veggies, meat etc) about the only thing we got fromt he center aisles was sandwich bags!

[Jenny]

Ever since reading Jillian's Master Your Metabolism, I have been doing the same thing with avoiding processed foods. It is SO hard, but you kind of get used to it after a while & do it automatically. The scale (lying bastard that it is) only says I lost 2 pounds, but my clothes are way way looser now since I've been doing it, and I'm not exactly sticking to it 100% of the time. But, wow, do I ever feel better when I do!

[Lara]

I love Bourne! I haven't picked up many of the Rowan mags lately but I really like this one.

I think your health changes are fantastic. Not just for losing weight bur for better health in general. I gained 17 lbs over the last year! I have never had that happen to me before unless I was pregnant. I think it was hormones because I dropped all but 4 of the pounds since I started the bioidenticals. Plus, I made changes in my diet you are doing and I am a work out fanatic. I look forward to hearing about your results with all these great changes!

Oh, and I also admire that you test drive yarn. So smart! I don't have the patience for that but I wish I did!

[Debby]

Bourne is gorgeous, and I don't mind mohair...definitely a project to consider!

Big props to you for such great discipline in exercise and trying to watch your diet. I need to get back to some good habits, and your post is definitely inspirational. I have a big birthday next year, and I'm scared my metabolism has gone into hibernation.

[marjorie]

Those are nice designs. You'll be fine with Kid Silk Haze, so long as you pay attention to the lace pattern (don't knit it when you're tired), and use lots of markers. In complicated lace, I will often count the stitches after I knit them (between markers) to avoid ripping, and is usually works. Boring, yes, but less boring than ripping.

One thing that really adds "pounds" for me is extra salt, and it is hard to control that in restaurant meals and prepared food.

And for your newest post, Pasteur said "Chance favors the prepared mind."

[Arizona]

No feta??? No feta???!!! My husband doesn't believe life is possible without feta cheese.

[Kat]

Robin, this is a really good mindset. As a note, I have to work out almost twice as hard at 42 than I did at 32 to maintain a somewhat svelte shape. But the thing is, it CAN be done. I think most women my age that I know simply have given up, like they'll never have a nice figure again and they think women like me are simply blessed with good genes. It's SO not that way and simply a lot of self discipline and hard work. You'll be happy with the results of stepping up your routine. I know I was.